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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27669362">(like an echo in the forest) another day will come</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/one_step_closer_to_death/pseuds/one_step_closer_to_death'>one_step_closer_to_death</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Clay | Dream-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Complete, Dream SMP spoilers up to revolution, Dream Smp, Gen, Manberg Revolution Arc, Non-Linear Narrative, Swearing, War, minor fundywastaken</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:20:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,389</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27669362</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/one_step_closer_to_death/pseuds/one_step_closer_to_death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Revolution as told through eyes of the Puppeteer, Dream.</p><p>[a brief study on the characters of the Dream SMP, with minor adjustments]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clay | Dream &amp; Dave | Technoblade, Clay | Dream &amp; GeorgeNotFound &amp; Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream &amp; TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream &amp; Wilbur Soot, Clay | Dream/Floris | Fundy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>163</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>(like an echo in the forest) another day will come</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>my first work for dtsmp fandom! </p><p>[DISCLAIMER: these characters do not represent the thoughts and actions of any content creators in real life and is only a work of fiction. please enjoy :)]</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">Dream watches Tubbo get on stage, watches them give an inspiring speech which on all accounts should bring L’manberg back on her feet standing with a proud chin up. He watches the crowd cheer. He watches Wilbur excuse himself inconspicuously, watches Technoblade’s eyes follow him with a hint of confusion. He feels a hand in his and looks to see Sapnap holding it tenderly, expression steeled away as much as he can; Dream sees through one of his oldest friends’ weak facade and knows Sapnap doesn’t want to fight anymore.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">The man’s different now, even with his thirst for blood and an insensitive glass pane over his eyes. The other day he had brought back an empty bucket, Mars set free at last and a relieved look on his face. With a deep sigh, he fell into bed with George and Dream and the latter thought he had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, but not even a minute later Sapnap opened his mouth.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Will the fighting be done quick?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Dream hummed, shifting George’s head off his shoulder so he can turn to face Sapnap. He thought about it, the carefully laid out plans, the neatly ordered strings wrapped around his fingers that pull the tide of the war left and right. There was the thrill of fighting, of going sword-to-axe with Technoblade, adrenaline pumping and Ender Pearl vertigo bleeding away as he fought for his life—and then there was the diamond ring on his finger, his thumb rubbing the band absent-mindedly in a long-forged habit. There was the sight of earlier in the day as he handed Sapnap iron armour, his friend’s eyes tired and weary in a way it hadn’t ever been before.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">The next day, he surrenders earlier than planned.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">He squeezes Sapnap’s hand back. His friend grins gratefully, ignoring Tommy coming over to make fun of the “big bad villains”. Dream whispers, “it’s not over yet” and Sapnap’s grin morphs into a grimace. Next to them, Punz steps forwards to knock his flaming sword against Tommy’s armour in warning, ever the loyal guard dog with a temper on his hands. Despite the divisions and small battles they fought against each other in, at the end of the day they are the Dream SMP and not even the first revolution, not even Schlatt had brought them down.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“What are you doing now?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Dream’s snapped out of his thought by a welcome voice, his head immediately perking up to find the source. Fundy strolls over with pickaxe in hand and the biggest smile on his face.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I’m kind of smug we won the war,” Fundy grins all toothy and Dream’s heart melts.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Yeah,” Dream replies half-heartedly, “you did. All fair and square.” He winces at how the words fall flat.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Funny frowns and Dream steps off the small platform his men were perched on and their hands immediately come together. “What’s wrong?” Fundy cocks his head. “You’re not that bitter are you?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Dream thinks about the first war, about the times he’s watched them from inside the walls, a habit he’s picked up from the Disc War and the manhunts, one that he’s forcefully broken by now when he’s on SMP lands. He thinks about Fundy always seeking his father’s approval. He thinks about Fundy trying to bring his friends to see a red stone contraption, only to be inevitably met with a “not now, Fundy”. He thinks about the betrayal on Fundy’s face as one of his few true friends pressed a button and betrayed them. He thinks about the fox flirting shamelessly that Dream’s face burned a bright red under his mask. He thinks about the opportunistic gleam in his eyes as he took up a spot as bishop next to Schlatt.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I’m sorry,” Dream says, holding Fundy’s knuckles up to press against his mask where his lips would be.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Aw, don’t be,” Fundy says, “It’s over now. I got my nation back. I got my dad back. Tubbo’s president!”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Guilt. Except—he subdues it, pushes it and reminds himself of blood rushing through his veins, of chaos pumping through his lungs, of smoke and ash and sparks. He thinks instead of power, of Techno finally standing beside him again.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“So was the traitor thing just bullshit then?” Tommy laughs as he tears down the ice rink, turning in curiosity in their direction.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Dream doesn’t look at Tommy, instead gazing over to a much more amusing sight. Technoblade stands in the middle of L’manberg, looking around with confusion on his face.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“No, no, there was a traitor,” Dream says nonchalantly, letting go of his lover’s hand as the latter moves to clear the festival decorations. Techno places an enderchest down and gingerly takes something out that he can’t see from a distance.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Well, they’ve kind of missed their chance now haven’t they?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“What if it’s George and he’s just slept through it?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">They laugh.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">George doesn’t care for the state of their world right now. Currently, he’s probably roaming the outskirts of the Dream SMP building a house or something of the sort. Dream and Sapnap let their best friend be. They have something they need to fight for, a future they want to carve in their realm.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">In the distance, Dream watches as Techno looks down at his rocket launcher. Conflicted emotions, a dark shade of betrayal flashes past his face, too fast to be clear of anything else. He looks up, catches Dream’s gaze. Dream nods, the words clear without needing to be said—we’ve got your back.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Ph1lza joined the game</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Confusion. Dream has to admire the moment Techno takes the opportunity, despite not knowing what’s going on, to jump forward and send rockets bursting in colourful splashes. People back away, afraid and confused as Techno’s broad back faces them, a lonely sight, blood pooling at his feet and dripping from his hands. He polishes his rocket launcher and turns around.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">It’s immediate, the shift in stances. Dream bounds over with his men at his heels. Some of them are just as confused, not privy to what’s going on and still trying to figure out where they stand; they follow Dream as the only thing they know.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Techno speaks, commanding the attention of everyone there. His words don’t flow the way they usually do, instead a pleading tone taking over as if to say “this is a joke right?” Dream moves over behind Techno, throwing down a splash potion between them to share the effect, and he frowns as he looks over to the podium. Wilbur should already be blowing L’manberg to smithereens but the earlier message comes to mind.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">He had whitelisted Philza long ago, but the old man had told him verbatim, “I’m not going to fight their wars for them.” Dream didn’t account for him being here, his presence doesn’t fit into the many plans he made, including the one plan he ran with and diverted the flow of the war towards—hell, his very presence could flip the tides of the battle—but he trusts that Wilbur loathes himself too much to be swayed by his father’s words. After all: they made a deal.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Techno slams his sword against Bad’s armour, sending him stumbling back as Techno whirls on them. “And why are you on my side? You...” Realisation flits through his expression as he trails off, looking at Dream with a furrow in his brow. You knew this was going to happen, it said. One of the things Dream always admired about Techno is how fast he catches on, how he can draw such specific conclusions from meagre amounts of information.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I see I was wrong to rely on other people.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Tommy starts shouting and Dream sighs, lunging and landing two devastating blows on him. They scatter as his axe swings through the air, dark netherite curling with purple smokes of enchantment before the blade sinks into the wood right next to Tommy’s torso. The boy scrambles away, gaining small distance between them as Dream yanks his axe out the ground, splinters of wood flying through the air. Sounds of bursting rockets explode from behind him and Dream leaps out of the way just in time to avoid the dangerous spray of fire and embers hitting the ground beside him. Techno is firing blindly, not caring that the splash damage sends a stinging pain against where it melts against Dream’s ankles, one of the few spots not covered by armour. He barely hisses in pain before biting into a golden apple and jumping after Tommy; thanks to the minute distraction, the boy’s thrown a pearl and Dream turns his attention on the closest person for the time being.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Sapnap and Punz clean up the weaker fighters, meanwhile Bad and Sam hesitate to step into battle. They are their friends after all, especially as Sam has been making friends with Tubbo lately. Dream decided against warning him to pick a side before making friends because it would just make the end all the more painful.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“The traitor is fucking Technoblade!” Tommy crouches on the roof, though his exclamation does nothing to help him hide.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Dream laughs, glee colouring his voice. “Do you know what the funny thing is? Do you know who the traitor is Tommy?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Who—”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“The traitor was Wilbur.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Tommy stares, the words not registering for a moment. And then—his eyes widen, mouth gaping open. “No... no the traitor is Technoblade... Technoblade just fucking killed Tubbo.” At the sound of his name, Techno sets his eyes on his target.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Techno flies, trident swirling water behind him as he’s propelled onto the roof, still letting an onslaught of fireworks into any crowd of two or more people, making the most of his AOE rocket launcher. Dream keeps an eye on Tommy, and catches up to him just in time as he pearls away from the immediate danger that is Technoblade, meeting Dream right as he lands.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Fuck, Dream!” Tommy sprints, not having enough time to heal up when he’s already swinging an axe in his direction. “We can talk about this—”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Fireworks explode where Tommy stands, Dream not having enough time to hold up his shield as the heat knocks him backwards, sparks sizzling against his armour. Chaos drums against his ringing ears and he opens his eyes against the bright light just in time to hear the first hiss.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">The ground erupts.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Screams. Dream screams with them, but it’s in victory, an overjoyed shout of “yes!” It’s over. L’manberg is gone. Fire and blood and ash reigns supreme, embers floating through the wind, the current in the air still moving and writhing as chains of explosions go off, never-ending. He sees people fly through the sky, sees them running away, sees his very own allies staring in horror at the beautiful spectacle of colours unfolding before them.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">A punch flies into his face, a crack splitting down his mask. He whirls, furious that someone—most likely Tommy—has the gall to interrupt his celebration. His axe swings out—</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">And freezes, the blade an inch away from a pale throat. Furious eyes glare at him, tears welling.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“What the fuck?” Fundy screams at him, grabbing his collar as Dream’s axe falls away from his hand. “Why?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Dream doesn’t answer, his silence filled with the booming sound of TNT going off in the distance.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“And it’s still going!” Fundy lets go, throwing his hands in the air. Dream reaches out to hold him but Fundy steps out of his reach. “Don’t you dare.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Babe—”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Philza?” Someone shouts over the crackle of fire and crumbling debris. Both lovers look over.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Philza gazes over the destruction in horror, all eyes on him and the man behind him. Wilbur wears a weak smile, something like relief making his shoulders fall for the first time. Wilbur has been a thorn in Dream’s side since day one, from the founding of a new nation, rallying people on the server to his side, to having the audacity to stand up to him and challenge his rule. Dream wanted Schlatt to win, if only to see the humiliation of defeat on Wilbur’s face for the first time, and when the man came crawling back to him, licking his wounds from the loss in the election, practically begging him to be on their side, Dream had been overjoyed. He had been falling apart, bags under his eyes and more than a few screws that have always been loose finally falling out and staying lost. It was funny really that Wilbur was destructing and Dream was the sole person who can press the button that would finally send him spiralling. He enjoyed it, the power he has over Wilbur; the puppet strings Dream held over him tightening around Wilbur’s neck like a noose. When Wilbur told him about second thoughts, about Quackity and Tommy talking him down from finally blowing it all to kingdom come, about how Schlatt had no one, how it would be trivially easy to just snatch power back from him and leave the old man to die alone, he had hope for the first time in so long. But Dream, his sinister mask hiding his true expression as always, put a hand on Wilbur’s shoulder and said, “We made a deal.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Wilbur, his expression previously a timid smile with a hint of hope falling away to an empty one, looked down. “Yeah. Yeah we did.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Then, as he stumbled upon the traitors to Manberg conspiring in the Pogtopia tunnel, an amusing thought occurred to him that he could mess around a tad bit. “There’s a traitor amongst you,” he told them, enjoying the already darting looks of distrust and paranoia being thrown around the ravine.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Wilbur had lost that fire. On that day, Dream saw the way his eyes were dull, a faux grin as he ushered his allies into the planning room. Dream knew half of the people there were on Dream’s side, conflicted between doing what’s right and siding with a figure of such power on the server—Dream himself.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Philza turns around and plunges his sword through Wilbur’s middle. Dream closes his eyes, feels for Wilbur’s respawn anchor in the world—lets out a held breath when he doesn’t find it. He whispers a prayer for Wilbur, muffled by his mask. It’s been a long time coming, and as much as he enjoys the man’s plight, he’s glad Wilbur can finally find the rest he’s been seeking, the closure he deserves, and close his eyes.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Tommy screams, all passion and anger and betrayal. He’s not slow, the teen, but he’s much slower than Techno, who’s already set his mouth into a thin line at the sight of his father murdering his brother in cold blood. Dream is giddy despite everything.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">He watches Tommy and Tubbo beside each other, hands tight in each other’s, Tommy standing slightly in front as if to protect Tubbo, the president having just returned from spawn, their limbs still weak from the recent death. Dream doesn’t comment that Tommy had just recently died as well. The whole server has their eyes on Techno as he makes his speech—a beautifully constructed monologue filled with irony—and Dream stands beside him, although a distance away next to his allies.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">There were varying reactions to the explosion, to Philza, to Wilbur, but the moment Techno condemns L’manberg to die, condemns Tommy, skulls in hand, everyone runs, a mad dash to shelter. It’s the first fight all over again, except this time Techno brandishes his sword and hunts L’manberg, tearing through their skin like paper. Tubbo goes first, diving into water as if they’re unaware Dream’s realm in combat lies there. Quackity goes down, trapped in the crater. Tommy and Jack Manifold follows, pierced by Techno’s blade. Dream stutters when Fundy’s death notice rings out, faltering in his swings. He senses his lover’s respawn point then reminds himself to not get distracted, only jumping back into battle when the first Wither goes down.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Techno swings wildly with no regards for who’s on his side, a true anarchist with no allegiance but his own ideals. He chases Sam down, the latter only escaping through his potions. He fires blaze after blaze of rockets into any gathering of people. He mutters an apology as an afterthought when his netherite steel sears heat against Dream’s chest plate.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">The battle comes to a lull and the last Wither goes down. The members of L’manberg pay him no mind as they gather to overlook the crater.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“You’re no better than a tyrant,” Tubbos says, voice cracking.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“The ends justify the means, Tubbo,” Techno says and Dream knows it’s over for real. They talk, arguing back and forth and Dream ignores them, looking over and giving Sapnap an imperceptible nod. Sapnap sighs, falling to sit back on the grass. Dream makes a note to go on another manhunt soon to destress with his friends.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">He expected a satisfying end really—he wins, he’s allies with Technoblade, Wilbur is dead, he’s finally beside his fiancé again, Tommy is dispirited, L’manberg is destroyed. Except it’s boring. L’manberg go over to the L’mantree, gathering inside the obsidian box just out of hearing distance.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Do you need TNT Techno?” He asks nonchalantly.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Oh I’ve got plenty,” Techno replies, dropping them on the edges of the crater where the water isn't overflowing into.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Why’s Manberg blown up?” George finally arrives, looking over the ruins with a strangely unbothered expression as Techno goes on a flint and steel spree.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“This and that.” Sapnap is flopped on the ground and George spares him a glance before looking over to Ponk.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Can I blow it up as well?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">They laugh. “Mom said it’s my turn on the flint and steel,” Techno jokes and Dream smiles. Things are fine. Things will go back to normal like the beginning where it was just Dream, Tubbo, and Tommy having a fortnite build battle in front of Punz’s house, fighting over discs that have no intrinsic value to Dream himself other than the value Tommy placed in it. Tommy will no longer go off to do his own thing building nations and warring with Schlatt and will no longer ignore the discs, and Dream would get to experience the fun they had during the disc war once again.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Dream,” Tommy calls and Dream responds with a nod to show he’s listening. “We need you to come with us.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Dream searches his allies’ and enemies’ faces. Techno is looking at them with an unreadable expression, Philza too. Quackity startles when he meets Dream’s eyes, but holds his gaze still; a contrast to Fundy who immediately averts his eyes when Dream looks over. His lover looks better than just after the explosion, probably having had his spirits lifted by Tubbo. Dream wishes he can go over and hold his fiancé but he knows he will be pushed away coldly. He’d rather not try than be faced with a confirmation of his suspicions—that Fundy could hate him, could despise him in some way. Everyone watches them as they walk the prime path back to the Embassy and once they’re out of ear-shot, Tommy says to him, “This isn’t over.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Dream laughs.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“From the beginning,” he continues, “it’s been me and Tubbo against you. And it always will be.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Those two can only trust each other. Dream knows that just as well as they do—everyone has betrayed someone, whether it’s Eret, their old friend, or the bitter son Fundy, or their juggernaut Technoblade. Everyone has turned their back on the two of them at least once—but never to each other.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">(Public enemy number one is a whole other problem; one Dream does not, surprisingly, delight in seeing it unfold)</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">They sit on the bench with Dream between them—Dream doesn’t say he likes the warmth of the two teens, like siblings that he adores so much even with his twisted actions in the past, on either side of him as they listen to a disc.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“It may seem like the end Tommy,” Dream speaks, rubbing the metal band on his ring finger, “but it’s only the beginning.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">He hopes it’s the beginning. After all, he doesn’t want the story to end just yet.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>comments fuel me pls i need validation</p><p>i plan on sticking with this fandom for while so i plan on writing some more fundywastaken or just plain fundy angst in the future so look out for that maybe :3</p><p>visit me on <a href="https://twitter.com/poemforbangtan">Twitter</a> (i also have art O_O)</p><p>or my <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/1stepcloser2oblivion">Tumblr</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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